North Carolina sixth grader wins award for handwriting

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Many 12-year-olds express themselves by texting, but Sage Collier prefers a more traditional way of communicating. With cursive handwriting.

Sage's skill with writing curves and loops was recognized recently as the sixth-grade national champion in the 2019 Zaner-Bloser National Handwriting Contest. Sage received a standing ovation from students and parents at an awards ceremony at GRACE Christian School near the border of Raleigh and Cary.

"At first I thought it was a mistake and they had the wrong person," Sage said in an interview Tuesday. "But then I saw my name on the plaque at the bottom of the trophy so I knew this was real, this was not a dream.

"I think this is a great opportunity and a privilege that I have that not many people have, and I'm really thankful for that."

Cursive writing has become a lost art for many in the 21st century. But at GRACE Christian, students are taught handwriting skills through fourth grade. Even in fifth- and sixth-grades, many assignments are still handwritten.

In addition to Sage's national award, GRACE second-grade student Cecily Shibley was a state handwriting champion for North Carolina.

It's an environment that Sage has thrived in. The handwriting award was just one of the many honors she picked up.

In 2013, North Carolina lawmakers passed the "Back to Basics" law, which says public schools must teach cursive writing so that students "create readable documents through legible cursive handwriting by the end of fifth grade."

School districts report they're following the law, but some state legislators have expressed skepticism that students are being taught cursive. Last year, the General Assembly passed a law requiring school districts to report annually on how they're teaching cursive.